Patriots-Rams: How we see it

Sunday

Oct 28, 2012 at 12:03 AMOct 28, 2012 at 12:07 AM

It's not often that I'd pick a 3-4 St. Louis team to upset the Patriots, but this isn't an ordinary game.

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It's not often that I'd pick a 3-4 St. Louis team to upset the Patriots, but this isn't an ordinary game. Sure, the odd schedule and traveling to London can be a factor, but it didn't really seem to bother New England in 2009, when they trounced Tampa Bay 35-7 at Wembley Stadium. No, instead what has me concerned is the immense injury report going into this game.

We already know that tight end Aaron Hernandez is out, after apparently suffering a setback with his injured ankle. Also out once again will be safeties Patrick Chung and Steve Gregory, and corner Ras-I Dowling was placed on IR this week. That leaves a very thin Patriots secondary to go up against Sam Bradford, who is better than Mark Sanchez, and the Jets QB made the secondary look foolish a week ago. Linebackers Jerod Mayo and Dont'a Hightower are questionable and, if they aren't 100 percent, Steven Jackson could run all the way to Stonehenge. And on the other side of the ball, the Pats could be thin on the offensive line if Logan Mankins and Sebastian Vollmer can't go, and that could spell doom for Tom Brady against one of the best pair of edge rushers in the NFL in Robert Quinn (seven sacks) and Chris Long.

Of course, the upside is that it's unlikely all these guys would have traveled to London if they weren't going to suit up ... and maybe the Rams aren't quite ready to compete with the likes of the Patriots. Still, I've got a feeling the Pats just want to get this one over with and head into the bye week.

I heard this game referred to this week as “pivotal,” and I guess it is. With the bye on deck (and also the threat of FRANKENSTORM!!!!!!!), the Patriots would certainly like to put on a good show for the folks in London.

The injury report is a little scary — the Patriots have more talented players on the “out” or “questionable” list than the Rams have on their entire roster.

But sometimes, you have to play a hunch, and my gut tells me that the Patriots are going to put a whopping on the Rams. Looking at the Rams' franchise history, they haven't turned in a truly impressive, both-sides-of-the-ball winning effort since Week 4 of 2010 (a 20-3 win over Seattle).

Did the Patriots look bad against the Jets last week? Yes. Have the Rams looked pretty decent of late? Yes. But look for the Patriots to just grind out six-yard gain after six-yard gain, through the air and on the ground, make a few big plays on defense, and make a long trip home even longer for the thin and overmatched Rams.

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